[MZ123]

Hello.
I'm having a problem with a 2007 BMW E90 320i
68,000km done. (Between ownerships, friend bought it, I liked it, told him to sell it to me, but the problems won't finish)
New to BMW. Any help largely appreciated.

The car was purchased from a dealership about 4-5 months ago.
The car showed first sign of trouble when one morning, the car gave out the +1 (add engine oil) on the dash. We looked around for any leakage where the car was parked overnight and found none.
Took it back to the dealership.
At this point, the car was only driven about 500km since the purchase.

Their technicians looked around the car and said it needed an oil top up and they did not find any obvious leaks. He said that because I just got the car, I might be driving it in spirit causing more oil to burn which is okay for this car. I felt skeptic at best, not only because we were not at all rough with the car but also because it was hardly 500km. I've kept 5-6 cars before this one, none of them was purchased used. They all seemed to be workhorses and never gave me oil issues even after 150k + km on the odo None of them were BMW.

Anyway, they topped up the engine with 1 liter oil and the dipstick showed max after that.

After almost 500km again, the dipstick showed a lowered reading but no +1.
We looked around this forum and found that a level below max on dipstick is okay as long as it's not below minimum.

Continued driving the car, and after around 500km again, the car gave out the +1 again.
We were constantly looking out for leakages and still didn't find any.

The car was taken back to the dealership one more time and they measured the oil after completely taking it out of the car and found none missing.
They also checked for coolant related problems and noticed a drop in coolant.
Both the oil and coolant was replaced completely.
They did a valve seal replacement too I believe (I'm NOT sure as i was not there during this visit.)

They kept the car running for 2 hours, checked for leakages all around it and again, found no leaks.
They also hooked up a computer and checked if the dipstick was faulty, but it wasn't.
Sent us back and said to keep an eye on the dipstick.

After about 600km this time, the dipstick showed a level of oil one step below max. Kept driving the car and over a period of 2 more days (since lower reading) and 1200km since the oil change, (yesterday), the car was again losing oil. At this time, the dipstick showed one point above minimum.

Looked around where it was parked overnight again and it was the first time I noticed a leak. It was about half tea cup of coolant on the porch with a very mild oily feel to it. I couldn't tell if it was engine oil mixed with it or just coolant. Even if it was mixed with it, it was very less nonetheless.

I took the car this time to an independent mechanic who did not behave in the best manner with me for some reason

I told him the problem and he completely ignored the leaks, went ahead to check if the sensor was fine. Hooked it to a computer showing no errors (it was a smaller device, something you stream data to your cellphone from and not the big one the size of an iPad the dealer used). It did not return any codes. He established that the dipstick was okay and the car was actually losing oil. He went ahead to fully floor the gas pedal at Neutral and a gust of white smoke came out (15C outside, not steam). And immediately after that he said the car needs new piston rings and that is the only way to solve this problem. Baffled and shocked I asked him how he was sure of such a big repair without even looking at it (also ignoring the leaking coolant). When I asked why this car needs an engine redone at 68k, he said you probably got a lemon and the odo is tempered.
(Heartbreaking but even if it is reversed 100,000km, the engine should still not ask for a rebuild this soon especially when the power is okay)
He grossly looked for leaks around gaskets from above the bonnet. No ramp. He went on about how he was experienced and I was wasting his time, gave me an estimate and said the head gasket as well as the rings will need to be replaced. Gave me a time to come back to him. Because if was a Sunday and no one else was available, I asked him if he could top the oil up so I could go on until I find the time to get around to this problem. He said he'll do it and at this point, I asked him how he'll know how much to put in, and he says the car will tell him on the dash and how I was a bad user and shouldn't have a BMW if I can't read the oil dipstick. I was very annoyed at his attitude but went on to tell him the car is not asking for oil atm, it is just low. This was the first time he looked at the dipstick and said "oh this says okay". At this point, if I had to be the one to tell him that the OK is not OK engine level but only means the car is done taking a reading. I thanked him for his time and left.

Because this is obvious anxiety for me, I tried to reproduce the smoke problem but couldn't. Didn't notice any smoke on high revs or low revs. Kept the car parked for 2 hours and tried again, no smoke.
Drove on the highway between 80-120kph with my friend following me to check for smoke, no smoke.
Kept parked at a light for about 4-5 minutes with the engine idle and in neutral, this time when I accelerated, a gust of white smoke came out and none after that.
The dipstick still at one point above minimum.


Next day, this morning 16C outside, started the car, checked for smoke, none there. High revs, none there. Low revs, no smoke.
Porch again has some coolant dropped, almost the same amount and the same consistency.
Will take it back to the dealer as soon as he gives me a time.


So, now, after the dude told me a basically need a new engine, I've been freaking out. I have been frantically looking at the forums again.

Oil filter gasket?
Head gasket?
Valve stem seals?
VANOS?
Fried motor?
What is going on and how do I go about it ?
The white smoke is freaking me out. Please help, I really like the car and want to keep it but don't want to be stuck with a lemon / money pit.

Will a compression test help?
Forum says it might give a faulty normal result ? How else to isolate if the motor needs a redone or is it something else ?
The other mechanic knows it's a deal between two friends and might be trying to botch it? Maybe I need to calm down? Idk
Is the dealership screwing both us over?
What do I say to the dealership? Is it worth keeping the car?
Does the type of oil change anything ? McGuin 5W-40 atm


Other symptoms with the car (if in anyway related. I'm a doctor and I like thorough history so yeah)
Roughly 1 in 10 start ups take longer to crank. Especially if it is a stop after driving it for some time.
2-3 events where white smoke came out the exhaust on high rev (5.5+)
Acceleration and power is fine.
9.5km/l mileage (I expect this is okay?)
The AC blower either throws hot air or AC cold air, no in between at the white zone. Direction of air flow is a hit or miss on turning the knob. Sometimes it works as expected sometimes it works a step back(putting it on defrost directs it to face vents and so on). No climate control.
The car seems to need brake service
One of the key fobs doesn't work
Bonnet shock like holder mount broken, one of the cable harnesses running next to it has scraping because of it.

In case anyone is wondering why the car is driven so little in all this time, the friend who bought it uses it very less (only for weekends etc). Me on the other hand, I drive around 200-300km per day. I've had the car for 3 days and that's when the problems have really started acting up.

The smoke does not have a sweet smell or a burnt oil smell. It just smells like petrol really.
What should be the course of action?

Thank you.